As a new member of WHO Family of International Classifications ICF describes how people live with their health condition. ICF is a classification of health and health related domains that describe body functions and structures activities and participation. The domains are classified from body individual and societal perspectives. Since an individual's functioning and disability occurs in a context ICF also includes a list of environmental factors.

ICF is useful to understand and measure health outcomes. This handy pocket-sized edition can be used in clinical settings health services or surveys at the individual or population level. Thus, ICF complements ICD-10 The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems and therefore is looking beyond mortality and disease.